At Verhaeghe Law Office – our Edmonton commercial real estate lawyers have decades of experience assisting clients with their commercial real estate transactions. Many people decide to own commercial property in order to house their own business.  Others decide to purchase commercial real estate as an investment and do not want to be involved in running a separate business, such as a store or a dentist’s office.  The type of commercial real estate that is right for you will depend on your specific needs and interests. 

If you are looking for a place to physically house your business, the decision whether to lease or purchase a space is a very important one.  While commercial real estate can be a good investment, your business may be capable of providing you with a better return if you invest that money elsewhere.  Your commercial real estate lawyer can ensure that you consider all relevant factors before investing.

Typical commercial real estate transactions

In Alberta, commercial real estate includes:

• office space
• retail space
• industrial, manufacturing or warehouse space
• institutional space and
• multi-family housing with at least five units.

Our commercial real estate lawyers can help with the purchase and sale or lease of all types of commercial property.  We provide services for purchasers, sellers, landlords and tenants. 

Although we do our best to prevent our clients from needing to resort to litigation, we recognize that it is not always possible and we offer full commercial real estate litigation services to our clients. 

How your Edmonton Commercial Real Estate Lawyer will help with your transaction

For our clients who are looking to purchase or sell a commercial property, we are available to help with:

• negotiation and execution of a contract
• due diligence
• facilitation of financing
• completion of the sale and
• advice regarding tax consequences.

For our commercial landlord and tenant clients, we can help with:

• negotiation and execution of a commercial lease
• termination of a lease and
• remedies available to landlords and tenants under a lease.

Important Considerations

Commercial real estate transactions often have extra dimensions when compared to residential real estate transactions.  Zoning restrictions and by-laws often affect what businesses can operate in a specific location, which can complicate an otherwise straight-forward negotiation.  You want to make sure that you can use the space as you intend before you commit to purchase or lease the property.

Tax considerations will play an important part in determining whether you will lease or purchase a commercial property and, if you purchase, which entity will own the property.  Will you own the property personally?  If your business is run through a corporation, the corporation can be the registered owner of the property.  Depending on the property and the nature of your business, it may be preferable to incorporate a separate business to own the property. 

Contact Verhaeghe Law Office’s Edmonton Commercial Real Estate Lawyers For a Consultation

Our Edmonton Commercial Real Estate Lawyer will make sure that you have considered all these factors so that your transaction proceeds as smoothly as possible.  Consulting with a professional before you take any steps can save you much time, money and frustration in the future. If you are looking for real estate law services in Edmonton, our real estate professionals have the experience and knowledge necessary to protect your interests, no matter the complexity of your transaction or the amount of money involved.  Contact us today to arrange a consultation.